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17 Jun 2015

Telegram / Aeons (single review)

Telegram have been the hottest, most exciting new thing, for umm, nearly two years now. Waiting for the them to release a new album is like trying to squeeze blood from a stone, and whilst a tiny bit of blood comes out every 6 months in the form of a single, we're no closer to a Telegram album than we were when they first exploded onto the scene with Follow.

Their latest offering, which came out last month is Aeons; but rather excitingly it has only just gone from a decent offering to a brilliant offering with the unveiling of b-side Needles in the camel's eye. The London four piece brought it out on their own Gram Gram imprint, and it may just be their best release since Follow.

Aeons is a three minute astral voyage that is kicked straight into motion with a sort of space-funk bassline. As you'd imagine, early Roxies stuff is the biggest influence to take away from it, but even Roxy Music's vocals are understated compared to the otherworldly psychedelic Neanderthal sneer of Matt Saunders.

Where it sort of actualises itself though, comes in the energetic, heavily effects pedal laden guitar lines. Like on Ride's Seagull, Telegram's guitars sound more and more like they're in some serious pain, even under a mask of reverb and echo.

The b-side is similar in terms of guitar sound; it's halfway between the spacey Japanese garage of Les Rallizes Denudes and the short, dreamy, but still driven by a viceral bassline like the debut of MBV, Isn't Anything. Fuzzed out bass again, is what makes this track a fantastic listen, but unlike the slipstreamed a-side, for better or worse, this is a much messier, nonchalant affair that, had it been 1987, would have broken US college radio indefinitely.

But despite the hugely contrasting ethos that each track shows, this single is definitely good enough to keep people interested in the band, whilst they kerfuffle around, not really getting anywhere near an album.

The single is physically sold out, but you can buy -stuff- from the band here to get yr hands on a copy of it

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Vapour Trail is an online music platform set up in 2014, run by Cal Cashin (@calcashin_). We like loud guitars, great characters, and beautiful music. Direct all questions to @vapourtrailblog or vapourtrailblog@gmail.com